Manufacture of surgical corsets



(No Model.)

J. W. BATTERSHALL.

MANUFACTURE OF SURGICAL GOES HTS. No. 328,638.

Patented Oct. 20, 1885.

WITNIEEEE."

.Z'NVENTUHI .Q AQM fl l UNITED STATES PATENT Trice.

JOSEPH W. BATTERSHALL, OF ATTLEBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS.

MANUFACTURE OF SURGICAL CORSETS.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,638, dated October20, 1885.

Application filed March 27, 1885 Serial No. 160,187. (No model.)

To all whom it may c0neern:

Be it known that I, Josnrrr W. BATTER- SHALL, of Attleborough, in thecounty of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and.useful Method of Making Surgical Corsets, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, formingapart of this specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a rigid corset which shall notonly support the bodies of persons suffering from spinal or otherdeformities, but which shall also remedy such deformities by continuedand graduallyincreasing pressure upon abnormal prominences.

To the above purpose myinventiou consists in the method of making thecorset, the same consisting in taking a cast of the deformed body withthe projecting deformity cut off and the abnormal depressions filled in,then winding strips of narrow webbing, cloth, or other material aroundthe cast, gluing the layers together, and inserting light strips ofmetal between the layers, and, after drying and varnishing, removing thecorset from the cast by cutting the corset down the front or back.

In the said drawing, in which the figure illustrates a perspective viewof my improved corset, A designates the sides and back of the device.These are formed ofstrips of narrow webbing, cloth, or other suitablematerial, which have been wound in layers over a cast of the deformedbody, but from which cast the project-ing deformity has been cut off andthe abnormal depressions have been filled in. In this way the corset ismade symmetrical, and when applied to the deformed body will exert aconstant pressure upon the deformed parts, so that in case of spinaldeformity the vertebrae will be gradually rotated back into their normalposition. Glue is applied between the layers of material, and lightstrips of metal are also inserted between the layers for the purpose ofincreasing the strength and supporting capacity of the corset. Thecorset is now varnished, and after having been dried is removed from thecast by cutting down the front or back or both.

Lacing-cords D may be attached to the back of the corset in the usualmanner, so that by gradually tightening the lacing the pressure upon thedeformed parts may be gradually increased.

B B designate two metal crutches, which are each provided with a stem,1), by means of which the crutches are attached to the corset beneaththe arm-pits of the wearer. lhese crutches are each adjusted by means ofa binding-screw, O, passing into the corset and through one of a seriesof holes, I), which are formed in the stems 1).

Thus it will be seen that the corset acts not only as a support for thedeformed body, but also as a means for forcing the deformed parts backinto their normal places. In this latter respect my improved corsetdiffers from all other surgical corsets heretofore devised, inasmuch assuch previous forms. generally made from plastenof-paris, merely actedas supports and prevented any remedy of the deformity.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent The method herein described of making surgicalcorsets, the same consisting in forming a cast of the deformed body, butwith the projecting deformity cut off and the abnormal depressionsfilled in, then winding strips of webbing or other material in layersupon the cast, gluing said layers together and inserting metal stripsbetween said layers, and after varnishing and drying the'corset cuttingit down the front or back to remove it from the cast, as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH \V. BATTERSIIALL.

Vitnesses:

J. A. MILLER, J12, M. F. BLIGH.

